On this day in 1959, Congolese residents of Stanleyville rebelled against Belgian colonizers, demanding independence after a speech by Patrice Lumumba. Police suppressed the riot, killing ~70, imposing martial law, and arresting Lumumba.

The day prior, Lumumba called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience in a speech to the MNC congress, also ordering Congolese people to not collaborate with the Belgian colonial government and announcing that the party would not take part in the upcoming December elections.

The rebellion began on October 30th when the police arrived at the suburb of Mangoba to arrest Lumumba. The uprising was suppressed with military force, including two companies of infantry.

In total, approximately 70 people were killed in the fighting, and up to 200 were wounded. Lumumba himself was arrested by police as the government imposed martial law and banned gatherings of more than five people.

Congo would achieve independence from Belgium on June 30th, 1960, with Lumumba serving as its first Prime Minister. He was assassinated by Belgian forces and their collaborators on January 17th, 1961.

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  • afellowkid@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    11·
    8 months ago

    What conversations were US officials having about Congo in 1960?

    [CIA Director] Dulles, Allen W. “Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the Station in the Congo”, August 1960:

    "we conclude that his removal must be an urgent and prime objective and that under existing conditions this should be a high priority of our covert action..."

    In high quarters here it is the clear-cut conclusion that if [garble—Lumumba?] continues to hold high office, the inevitable result will at best be chaos and at worst pave the way to Communist takeover of the Congo with disastrous consequences for the prestige of UN and for the interests of the free world generally. Consequently we conclude that his removal must be an urgent and prime objective and that under existing conditions this should be a high priority of our covert action. Hence we wish to give you wider authority along lines Leop 07723 and Leop 07854 and Dir 461155 including even more aggressive action if it can remain covert

    Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency [for vice president Nixon], “Operations in the Congo”, 1960:

    "CIA continued to maintain contact with the assets it had been developing and to be on the lookout for new ones for whatever contingencies might arise..."

    In the period immediately preceding Congo independence, CIA efforts in the Belgian Congo concentrated on establishing direct contact with as many responsible political figures as possible and influencing their actions. […] In the immediate post-independence period, CIA continued to maintain contact with the assets it had been developing and to be on the lookout for new ones for whatever contingencies might arise. […] CIA concentrated on developing contact with [less than 1 line not declassified] assets who were in active opposition to Lumumba or appeared to have that potential. These were developed with the long-range view of possible active use against Lumumba and on a day to day basis in tactical opposition to increasing signs of Soviet Bloc influence in the Lumumba Government […] To accomplish this and to implement operations to this end, CIA has been steadily reinforcing the Leopoldville station with additional personnel and funds, and the Director of Central Intelligence has given the station authority to take decisions on the spot […] CIA has been coordinating an effort to have the Senate assemble and pass a vote of no confidence in the Lumumba Government. […] On the basis of what information we have so far received it would appear that Kasavubu’s precipitate action has at least seriously jeopardized the plan for ousting Lumumba by constitutional means.

    Dulles, Allen W. “Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the Station in the Congo”, September 1960:

    "We wish give every possible support in eliminating Lumumba from any possibility resuming governmental position..."

    We wish give every possible support in eliminating Lumumba from any possibility resuming governmental position […] At your discretion, share this message with Ambassador.

    [text not declassified] reported on 23 September that Pierre Mulele, Gabriel Yumbu, and Antoine Gizenga of the PSA were mounting a coup against Mobutu and the Council of Commissioners. [Footnote in the original.] In telegram 0002 from Leopoldville to CIA, September 23, the Station reported that upon learning of a coup plot against Mobutu and the Council of Commissioners, the Chief of Station immediately informed Mobutu and had the Embassy warn Kasavubu. Kasavubu did not act upon the warning, but Mobutu had two of the plotters arrested. The Embassy and Station urged Mobutu and Kasavubu to take action against Lumumba and the other plotters, [text not declassified].

    Office of the Historian editorial note:

    "the Chief of Station emphasized that although selection of a mode of assassination was left to his judgment, it had been essential that it be carried out in a way that could not be traced back either to an American or the U.S. Government"

    In CIA telegram 03094 to Leopoldville, September 28, Tweedy commented briefly on each of the seven possibilities and warned that where the PROP operation (i.e., elimination of Lumumba) was concerned, their primary concern must be concealment of the U.S. role, unless an outstanding opportunity emerged which made a calculated risk a first class bet. Headquarters was ready to entertain any serious proposals the Station made.

    On August 21, 1975, the Chief of Station testified before the Church Committee that Scheider had told him that his instructions were to “eliminate” Lumumba, and that he had received “rubber gloves, a mask and a syringe” along with lethal biological materials from Scheider, who also instructed him in their use. […] The means of assassination had not been restricted to use of this toxic material, but the Chief of Station emphasized that although selection of a mode of assassination was left to his judgment, it had been essential that it be carried out in a way that could not be traced back either to an American or the U.S. Government.

    Although not directly involved in his moment of death, the above is an example which shows much of what the CIA and US State Department do, which is set up every possible condition they can think of for coups, killings, and other “accidents” and “excesses” to happen, working on multiple possible avenues at a time, whether they themselves are directly carrying out the final act or not, or whether simply their assets and other allies are (usually with some generous funding via legal and illegal means, while the State Department uses legal avenues to remove funding from the target–i.e., via sanctions, loan denials, etc. to prepare the ground for worsening conditions).

    Here is an article which is an imaginary interview of Kwame Nkrumah about the events in Congo, which uses quotes from his work “Challenge of the Congo”. Nkrumah himself had also been subjected to a CIA-backed plot in his own country of Ghana.

    ProleWiki page on Lumumba